European Union

Estonia's defense minister calls for increasing the training of Ukrainian troops to 100,000 and sending more ammunition to Ukraine amid escalating pressure from Russia.

Dutch Defense Minister Kees Ollongren said that the Netherlands does not rule out the use of weapons outside Ukraine, hoping that other countries will change their position as Ukraine fights for self-defense and territorial integrity.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal will meet with EU leaders in Prague to discuss military aid to Ukraine.

Hungary has been blocking EU defense initiatives related to Ukraine over non-defense issues, such as problems with Hungarian firms in Ukraine and the treatment of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, despite the importance of a balanced approach between protecting national interests and the consequences of blocking decisions.

Ukraine and Belgium signed a bilateral agreement on security cooperation and long-term support, under which Belgium pledged to provide Ukraine with at least €977 million in military aid and 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028.

Ukraine needs weapons now, because delay costs lives, emphasized EU diplomat Josep Borrell, calling for a quick decision on a new European Peace Fund for Ukraine.

EU defense ministers will discuss military aid to Ukraine and strengthening the European defense industry, but Hungary delays payments from the European Peace Fund.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has proposed that the EU set an age limit for social media use to protect young users from harmful content and screen addiction.

The European Union has introduced new rules for imposing sanctions on those involved in human rights violations in Russia, including restrictions on the export of equipment used for repression and monitoring, and added 19 people to the sanctions list in connection with the death of Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison.

Poland criticizes Hungary primarily for not agreeing to increase the European Peace Fund, from which EU countries receive reimbursement for the cost of arming Ukraine.

Recently, Birkadze has been appearing in the media as a political expert. He even appeared on the air of a telethon, where, however, he attracted attention not for his in-depth analysis, but for a very characteristic remark.

Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski says that negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union should begin in the first half of the year before the EU presidency passes to Hungary in the second half, which could block the decision on Ukraine.

Poland will impose restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats, limiting them to the Mazovian Voivodeship, where Warsaw is located, and consuls to the respective provinces, citing evidence of the Russian state's involvement in subversive activities in Poland.

In Ukraine, 1. 2 million veterans are currently registered in the state registry, and after the war is over, their number will increase to 5-6 million.

Every month, the Russian army uses more than 3,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukrainian frontline positions and peaceful towns and villages.

According to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, the new EU sanctions package against Russia aims to close loopholes and reduce the ability of businesses to circumvent existing restrictions, making it stronger than previous sanctions.

Ukraine has successfully tested 5G technology for the first time, making a 5G call between Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, and Helsinki despite the ongoing war.

China has no information about sending a delegation to the Ukraine Peace Summit scheduled for June 15-16 in Switzerland, but supports efforts to reach a peaceful settlement and “political solution” to the “crisis.

Germany is allocating 60 million euros for humanitarian aid to Ukraine, in particular to the russian-occupied regions in the east of the country, as people there lack the most basic necessities due to the occupation that has lasted for more than two and a half years.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged EU ministers to allow Ukraine to strike military targets in Russia and provide additional air defense systems, such as Patriot, to protect against Russian attacks on civilians.

The EU is considering how to move from the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland to a possible meeting in Saudi Arabia in the fall with Russia's participation.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on former Ukrainian MP Viktor Medvedchuk, pro-Russian propagandist Artem Marchevsky and the Voice of Europe website.

Hungary blocks EU military aid to Ukraine, while other ministers demand that Budapest lift its veto on Ukraine-related issues.

Deliveries of shells from the EU to Ukraine are delayed due to a shortage of explosives and limited production capacity in Europe.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda is re-elected for a second term, gaining 75% of the vote in the second round of the presidential election.

According to French President Emmanuel Macron, Europe is facing numerous internal and external threats, making this an existential moment when European democracy may perish.

Six NATO countries-Norway, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania-agreed to build a “drone wall” along their borders to protect against Russian aggression and potential provocations involving migrants.

Von der Leyen emphasized the need for the EU to invest in defense and strengthen its defense capabilities to maintain peace on the continent against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Putin's threats.

Moldova's pro-European parties have signed a pact to speed up the country's accession to the European Union and promote the rule of law and social cohesion around the goal of EU integration.

Denmark and seven other EU countries propose an action plan for Ukraine's integration into the European defense industry.